The Ring Thing

Usually when you hear someone is saying that they love jewellery you immediately imagine a person covered with blinking jewels. Trust me, you can hold a genuine love for jewellery and do not be a magpie. That’s actually my example. I like jewellery a lot but after looking at me you won’t be able to tell that straight away. I wear jewellery but not every day and not too much. I always wear watch (but I don’t consider it as jewellery). I always wear earrings (small studs, exactly the same pair for nearly 6 years now, sometimes changing them for something different but never too big). I don’t like bracelets (I find them too uncomfortable). I like necklaces and I’m shifting between two different styles: big, bold, chunky, statement pieces (like Mawi London designs) or small, delicate, chain with tiny pendant (like my recent favourite Comfort Station ‘Love’ necklace). And rings, I love rings. If I had to choose only one piece of jewellery that I would like to wear for the rest of my life, that would be a ring. Definitely.

My own jewellery box.

I have this ‘small’ obsession for rings which is strengthen by the fact that I am a lucky owner of a really nice pair of hands, with slim, long fingers which basically means that I can wear almost all types of rings and they look good. Big, bold, statement ring – I can wear it. Tiny and delicate one – perfect! Rings on each finger? Why not! Only one or two on a hand – I’m doing it.

I think it’s fair to say that I collect jewellery. I collect rings – to be precise. I have much more of them that I actually wear but it’s not the point. Not all of my rings are meant to be worn. I have this strange ‘relationship’ with rings. I buy what I really like but almost every purchase has also a different type of justification. Almost every ring I own has its story. It was either bought in a significant moment (or to mark a significant moment) or it was worn for a special occasion or it reminds me about some person, some place, some situation. My jewellery box is like a coded diary and I am the only person who is able to read it.

I like the way my ‘jewellery taste’ evolved through the years. When I was teenager I hated gold. At that time only silver existed for me and rings in a thick band style. In my early- and mid-twenties I was coming through the stage of big, edgy, statement rings (it was the time when I discovered Mawi London and started to like gold). I used to call it ‘the bigger the better’ phase. Now I’m definitely in ‘less is more’ vibe and in love with simple and delicate forms. My love for minimalism finds its reflection also in the jewellery I pick. Super-thin, gold band rings worn on a few fingers or two identical thin rings (one in gold and the other in silver) with tiny stone worn together on a ring finger are currently my favourite options.

If I’m looking for a nice rings in a good price, I always check &Other Stories and COS. They have lovely designs and the quality of their jewellery is really good comparing to other high street brands such as Topshop or H&M. Topshop and H&M may have nice designs but I hate when ‘gold’ ring I bought surprisingly turns into ‘silver’ and then into ‘rose gold’ or ‘copper’ after I worn it 5-10 times. With &Other Stories and COS it has never happened to me. Great selection of jewellery can be also found at Catbird in New York. They sell their lovely designs in a Brooklyn shop but also online.

My other favourite brands are Repossi, Delfina Delettrez, Maria Black, Line&Jo and Comfort Station. Repossi is my longtime jewellery crush and I believe that Gaia Repossi creates one of the most beautiful pieces of jewellery I’ve ever seen. ‘Antifer’ and ‘White Noise’ are absolutely my favourites and rings from these collections are on the top of my wish list. Repossi and Delfina Delettrez are a different level of jewellery designs. Not only because of the creativity and beauty hidden in their jewellery but also because of the quality and materials (gold, platinum, diamonds) they use to create their pieces. Repossi designs speak to my love for minimalistic but statement pieces while Delfina Delettrez stole my heart by her playful yet beautiful collections.

Maria Black and Line&Jo are Danish brands. They both work with gold and silver (and occasionally diamonds) creating simple but striking and still affordable designs. They have not only great rings (that’s the first thing I look at) but also nice earrings, ear-cuff and necklaces. Highly recommended!

Comfort Station is a London-based jewellery brand established by Amy Anderson. For 10 years now, Amy creates fine jewellery with a ‘story’. Each collection she designs is ‘about something’. It not only have a particular theme but it is the actual story told through the pieces of jewellery. She likes mixing gold with silver, wood and ropes creating unforgettable designs. One of my favourite Comfort Station collection is ‘Love & Hope’. Each piece from that collection has a geographical coordinates of Love (or Hope) engraved on it. Love is a town in Bahamas, Hope – town in Devon. Small hint for those who wants to know where Love or Hope is.

And here are my favourite picks:

Catbird Threadbare Ring in Gold